Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
Established uu.
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
to c w , ; $2.00 « r««.
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1924
BUSH & GERTS CO.
REORGANIZATION
New Capital Assures Sound Expansion of
Famous Old Chicago Piano Industry
with Standard of Quality Main-
tained.
ROCKFORD CAPITAL INTERESTED
Particulars of Successful Conclusion of Important
Negotiations Which Have Been Under Consid-
eration for Some Time Past.
After months of negotiation, the stockholders of
the Bush & Gcrts Piano Company, of Chicago, finally
agreed upon a reorganization and upon Monday of
this week a deal was closed whereby certain old time
stockholders, most of them having inherited their
stock, agreed to step down and out through a reor-
ganization plan whereby A. E. Johnson of Rockford,
Ills., and other capitalists of that city, enter the
of all concerned. The Bush & Gerts business is one
of the oldest in the piano manufacturing industry of
the middlewest, having been founded by William H.
Bush in 1886.
John Gerts, an exceptionally fine piano maker,
joined the company soon after its inception and the
name under which the business was established, Wm.
H. Bush & Company, was changed to Bush & Gerts
Piano Company. Wm. H. Bush died some twenty-
five years ago and, several years afterwards, John
Gerts passed away. In the distribution of the estates
of these two veterans of the piano business, the stock
became widely scattered, particularly among heirs
of Mr. Gerts.
One of the Oldest.
With no individual or group of individuals acting
in harmony in control of the business, there developed
during recent years considerable dissension, and that
is primarily responsible for the reorganization which
preserves for the trade a piano of splendid quality
and reputation and one which has proven a strong
factor in building up the business of many piano
dealers.
The Bush & Gerts Piano Company was one of the
first houses in the west to manufacture grand pianos.
Its early grands were exhibited at the Chicago
World's Fair of 1893, and one of the instruments
there shown, a magnificent hand carved grand, was
afterwards exhibited throughout the country in the
warerooms of Bush & Gerts dealers, and finally was
purchased by the Masonic library at Cedar Rapids,
Iowa. This library is famed in Masonic circles
throughout the world as the only building used
exclusively for the collection and preservation of his-
torical documents and general literature on the sub-
ject of Masonry.
Notable Grand Production.
The long experience of the Bush & Gerts Piano
Company in the building of grands is probably large-
ly responsible for the skill of the organization in the
production of grands of the modern type, particularly
the small grand. The Bush & Gerts Midgette grand,
four feet, eight inches in length, has attracted wide
attention in the trade and musical circles. The skill
of the Bush & Gerts manufacturing organization was
manifested in the development of tone, volume and
quality in a grand of such limited dimensions.
Bush & Gerts dealers may now rest assured that
they will be able to get Bush & Gerts pianos in
increasing quantities. The men behind this business
are sufficient guarantee that the good will and pres-
tige based upon Bush & Gerts quality and which are
valuable assets of the company, will be not only
maintained but enhanced.
WEAVER PIANO SELECTED
FOR RADIO BROADCASTING
Reproducing Instrument of the York, Pa., Industry
Made Official Piano at Baltimore Show.
A. E. JOHNSON.
business as controlling factors in the Bush it Gerts
Piano Company, its scales, patterns, trade-marks,
pianos in course of construction and materials. Mr.
Johnson is interested in numerous manufacturing
enterprises, including the Haddorff Piano Co., of
which he is treasurer.
As a result of the deal, certain of these old stock-
holders, who have not been in harmony in their ideas
as to how the business should be conducted, retain
the real estate at the corner of Weed and Dayton
streets, Chicago.
Improved Conditions.
The reorganized company takes the name, good
will, patterns, scales, pianos in course of construction
and materials. The old factory will be abandoned for
a newer and more modern one. The old stock-
holders who have taken title to the real estate will
either sell it or lease it, though it is hardly probable
that it will be used for piano manufacturing pur-
poses.
Thus a complicated situation in the affairs of one
of Chicago's old-time and distinguished piano manu-
facturing industries is ironed out to the satisfaction
The Weaver Piano Co.. Inc., York, Pa., is nat-
urally proud of the selection of a Weaver Reproduc-
ing Piano for radio broadcasting purposes at the
Radio Show in Baltimore, Ind., last week and this
week. The Weaver Reproducing Piano is the newest
form of the admirable products of an industry noted
for constantly striving to produce the best. It repre-
sents the highest development of modern artistic
reproducing piano construction.
The company has sent the following suggestion
to Weaver dealers to take local advantage of the
event in Baltimore. It is in the form of a dealer's
ad:
"Radio fans tune in on Station WEAR any evening
October 18 to 25 and hear the official piano of the
Radio Show at Baltimore, Md. It is a Weaver Re-
producing Piano, one of the world's great pianos
which reproduces the playing of the world's greatest
artists." Then follows the name and address of the
advertising merchant.
This is added in the letter to representatives: "The
above suggestion for a display advertisement or local
reading notice in your own city newspapers explains
itself. It is a great tribute to the Weaver Reproduc-
ing Piano to be adopted as the official piano of the
Baltimore Radio Show, and if you advertise the fact
as above suggested you may sell a few."
QULBRANSEN COMPANY
DECLARES DIVIDEND
Earnings Continue Very Satisfactory and
Promise to Be of Even Greater Volume,
with Increase of Grand Production.
At a meeting of directors of the Gulbransen Com-
pany, Chicago, held October 15 at the Company's
offices in Chicago, a dividend was declared of three
per cent on common stock. The dividend is payable
on or before October 22 to stockholders of record
October 15.
Earnings of the company continue very satisfac-
tory, and an even greater volume of business is as-
sured as grand piano production gets into full swing.
The company reports that while the new six-story
factory is fully completed and there has been no hitch
in getting it equipped and in operation, yet the manu-
facture of grands is proceeding cautiously in order
to assure the quality of every instrument being right,
from the start. In line with the regular Gulbransen
policy, the company is more anxious to make the
instrument so there will be no developments that
will cause construction troubles later on, than to
get into quick production. Very favorable reports
of the Gulbransen grand have come from the places
where they have been shipped.
The Gulbransen Registering Piano continues in tre-
mendous demand and the orders in hand are crowd-
ing the factory to very large production figures.
Fortunately the new double switch-track at the out-
going freight platform, and the battery of four new
dry kilns, are in use, which tends to speed up
production and the handling of it, to a great extent.
There continues also to be an active call for Gul-
bransen straight pianos.
Gulbransen National Advertising for October,
appearing in full-page form in The Saturday Evening
Post of the l£th and as a four-color second cover
in The Literary Digest of the 11th, emphasizes
the fact that good piano music is available to all in
the home where there is a Gulbransen Registering
Piano.
In the farm field, the company announces the
addition of these mediums: Capper's Farmer, Kansas
City Weekly Star, Atlanta Tri-Weekly Constitution.
FREDERICKSON=KROH CO.
EXPANDS IN OKLAHOMA
Progressive Music House Builds Fine Structure on
West Main Street, Oklahoma City.
The walls of the new building being constructed
in Oklahoma City, Okla., by the Frederickson-Kroh
Music Co., are designed to carry four stories, although
the building as at present planned will be only four
stories high. The work of building is proceeding
and the company hopes to be able to occupy it by the
first of the new year. The cost approximately is
$60,000.
The new building is two blocks west of the old
location at 221 West Main street and the choice of
the new site is significant of the westward trend of
business on Main street, the principal business
thoroughfare in the thriving city. The piano depart-
ment will have more space in the new building than
in the old one and proper attention will be given to
musical merchandise and the new department of
radio.
OPENS IN GREENCASTLE, IND.
Henry L. Davis of Greencastle, Ind., has joined
the staff of the Hamilton Music Store in the same
city and will open new departments in this popular
down town store this week. The store is being re-
modeled and Mr. Davis is determined to make his
place a popular one for Greencastle music lovers.
One of the features of the store will be the new
Brunswick Radiola.
The entire stock of musical instruments of the
D. C. Richards Music Co., Hot Springs, Ark., has
been purchased by the Arkadelphia Music Co.
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